Stoppin the love
by La Dormeuse
Summary: Songfic. How Hitomi is proposed to! She's back on Gaea, I thought the song fitted them perfectly. H/V


Disclaimer: I own nothing! This is me trying my hand at something new! I heart Escaflowne! Here we go. Song is by KT Tunstall – Stoppin' the Love (she rocks! Not as much as Escaflowne though)

A group of children sat around the fountain of gleaming marble in the town square listening to the woman sing who sat on the edge of it. She had told them a story that had enthralled them for the past month. Fanelia had been built, but there was still work to do to rebuild the economy, so when she came and the children followed her she had sat down and talked to them. They were fascinated about everything to do with her; she had never sang before though. Even the people in the main square had stopped what they were doing and listened to her.

So you think it's funny That you keep calling me all of the time 

_Every day_

_Oh honey_

_Don't want to be following and falling behind _

_If you're gonna be walking away_

_And I don't know_

_Why I wouldn't follow_

_Wouldn't follow_

She smiled as her voice rose for the chorus; thinking about everything that had happened since the last pillar of light had brought her back, brought her **home**, she knew that admission had helped him. She rolled her eyes as she remembered how forward he could be at times and at others she wanted to throw something at him – last night especially. She had smiled and told him clearly that there were important people who had to be the first to find out she was staying. She grinned as she inhaled.

_You got me looking up_

_Even when I'm falling down_

_You got me crawling out of my skin_

_You got me wondering why_

_I am underneath this big old sky_

_Stopping the living getting in_

A few people had even got up to dance to her words and his heart swelled as he walked towards her. She couldn't see him but as she straightened her back he knew she could tell he was there. She had sat up in her sleepy state when he had snuck into her room, granted he had opened the secret door rather loudly but she did seem to have an awareness of him, he on the other hand could sense her feelings. Not entirely, but a slight touch and he was grateful for this; when he had been shy towards her and felt her annoyance he put it to full use and was aware how much it annoyed her, he smiled as he stopped nearby, but still behind her and leaned against a table of a café as he listened to her.

_Now you say it's easy_

_That you been falling for all of my charm_

_And getting lost in my smile_

_Never ceases to amaze me_

_When I'm chancing my arm_

_That I still do with style_

_And now I hope_

_You'll be with me tomorrow_

_With me tomorrow_

She faded slowly and the children cheered loudly for her, making her blush even though this was a reoccurring thing after every 'chapter' of the story she had given. She smiled and heard the faint applause with a man she already knew was there. Everyone turned and stared at him as he approached,

"That was a beautiful song Lady Hitomi," as all the children stood up and greeted him politely.

"Hello Lord Van." He smiled at them and asked them carefully,

"Would you mind if I sat with you to listen to Lady Hitomi's story?" they all grinned and cheered as he noticed Hitomi roll her eyes again and blush when his gaze met hers. She smiled,

"You haven't asked my permission my Lord." She cheekily murmured and saw the smirk appear on his face as the children erupted into protest,

"Please Hitomi! You have to Hitomi! Hitomi!" she sighed theatrically, and nodded,

"Well if he isn't too much of a nuisance, then I guess he can stay." The children cheered and laughed at how flippant their storyteller could be with their King, but he didn't seem to mind. In fact he seemed to enjoy her comments, strangely enough.

Hitomi breathed in deeply and continued her story from the girl in the mystic moon running to the strategos and their sudden appearance in Zaibach. The children were spellbound and so was the king, he smiled fondly at how she could recall everything so clearly and he was secretly pleased to be able to sit and listen to her and her view of things as she had forbade him before on grounds of embarrassment. He didn't understand why until one of the children asked loudly,

"Did he kiss her?" when she described how the King had appeared to save the girl at the last minute from Dornkirk. He smiled gently, but the expression rapidly changed when Hitomi replied,

"No, he was too busy with saving Gaea and was probably afraid to do so." The children sitting around him and the few that had crawled onto his lap or leaning against him all laughed and watched as he spluttered for a few seconds and of course Hitomi said rather loudly,

"I'm afraid I'll have to ask you leave if you make more noise my Lord." She grinned and watched him scowl slightly as she returned to her place in the story.

………………….

"And so they decided that they should separate, for the better. And the girl went back to the mystic moon." The children sat in stunned silence until one asked,

"But what happened next?" Hitomi looked up and saw a woman with a tail – Merle! Smiling and sitting next to Celena who grinned back at her as well. She looked around and saw that all her old friends had not only arrived in Fanelia but had been listening to her story – Allen, Dryden, Millerna, Chid and others she couldn't recognise who all smiled sheepishly at her. Before Hitomi could respond in shock she heard someone else speak, Van.

"Well, both King felt very stupid for letting her go, but they both knew it wouldn't work if she stayed. So they thought they could live apart but as they grew older, they became wiser and the girl returned by both of their wishes. Isn't that right Lady Hitomi?" he smiled at her and she nodded, but again he spoke before he could. He placed the girl on his lap on the ground beside him and got up, manoeuvring his way towards her and when he reached her, he bowed. She in return stood up and curtseyed, an inquisitive look in her eye as he turned to the children,

"There is something I would like to ask you all." They all leaned in as if he would whisper it and Hitomi looked slightly confused, "I want to ask your permission for asking Lady Hitomi to marry me." They all squealed and cheered and his friends smiled or laughed. He wasn't paying attention, he had turned to the shocked woman by him and the children silenced immediately as he dropped onto one knee and asked the woman whose hand he placed in the palm of his,

"Hitomi, will you marry me?" and produced a ring. She beamed at him and murmured a quiet yes as he slipped the ring on her finger and stood up as he kissed her gently, to the ear splitting cheers of the children who surrounded them. He pulled her into an embrace and heard her quietly whisper,

"You're such a git." He grinned and whispered back,

"I'm your git though." She smirked and kissed him, catching him off guard until Merle yelled,

"Stop mentally scarring the children!" they broke apart sheepishly and hugs went all round.

"The End," she murmured. The two boys and little girl sitting on and around her lap all grinned,

"That was so romantic!" little Varie said to her mother,

"Well I try," came the voice of their father who smirked, kissed his wife and pulled his daughter onto his lap with his sons either side of his wife. The two boys, Folken and Mamoru (Hitomi's brother right?) rolled their eyes. Hitomi grinned,

"One day you'll be just the same, or better hopefully at admitting your feelings to the girl you love." Van glared jokingly at his wife who smirked slightly. Varie giggled,

"Folken already is in love!"

"Shut up Varie!"

"He's in love with Merle's daughter!" piped in Mamoru, who sniggered at his older brother's embarrassment.

"Be nice to your brother!" Van scolded gently, "Being in love is hard when you haven't admitted it," grinning slightly at his wife who smiled back.

"I'm not in love!" Folken said loudly. Hitomi grinned,

"Well don't let Aiya (Merle's daughter) know! She'll be disappointed."

"Really?" blushed Folken. She smiled at her son,

"Time for bed, all of you. Aiya and her family are visiting tomorrow, they won't want us to be tired."

Hitomi got up and took her three children into their respective rooms, tucked them in and wished them goodnight, followed by their father who did the same.

When the King and Queen of Fanelia reached their own room, the King grabbed his wife by the waist,

"Was I really that bad?" watching as she grinned into his shoulder,

"You've gotten better." She murmured.

Hello! I hoped you like it! I will continue gryffie secrets, four is on its way and I want to do an A/U VH fic? What d'ya think! I love Van/Hitomi, they're perfect. But they should have got together at the end, maybe not – otherwise there wouldn't be any precious esca fics that I love so much!


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